|
|
The wrong kind of greenYou are not alone if the recent waft of warm weather has you thinking about spring. Dreams of planting in the garden and that first taste of fresh asparagus are getting closer. But the landscape is still pretty drab and has several more weeks to go until the first flush of vibrant green. Amongst my brown resting bermudagrass there are a few flashes of green, but unfortunately, it is the wrong kind of green. The cool season weeds are rearing their heads and preparing to produce seeds for next year. This becomes a real eye sore in the middle of a sea of brown and is also starting a ferocious cycle that I would rather not have in my front yard. Weeds in a stand of turf are not only aesthetically displeasing, they also weaken the grass. Water, nutrients and space to grow all become hot commodities when unwanted plants are introduced. The weeds that are present now are winter annual weeds. An annual is a plant that will germinate from a seed, grow, flower, set seed and die in one year. The dying part sounds promising, but the problem to be concerned about is the setting of seed. This means that thousands of seeds will be sown and waiting patiently for their big chance to shine next winter. The flavors of weeds that we are dealing with right now can be divided into two large groups: grassy or broadleaf. These categories are fairly straight forward. If it looks like a grass, with a slender blade-type leaf it is most likely in the grassy division. Annual bluegrass, cheat, downy brome and little barley are examples of grassy weeds. Broadleafs will have a more diverse collection of leaf shapes. Chickweed, dwarf fleabane, and henbit are some of the most common broadleaf weeds found in home lawns. If you are interested in knowing exactly which 'critter' you are dealing with bring a sample to your OSU County Extension Office for a free identification. There is one good thing about winter weeds in the lawn; they can be killed! And it is a fairly simple task to perform in a dormant bermudagrass lawn. Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide that can be applied at label specified rates to a dormant bermudgrass and cause no harm to the turf. Non-selective refers to the fact that the chemical will have a detrimental effect on any plant that it is applied to; it is not able to distinguish between a grassy weed or a broadleaf weed. So use some caution to avoid any plants that are actively growing, such as pansies or evergreen plants. Products that contain glyphosate are commonly sold as Honcho or Round-Up Pro and there are many other names. Check and make sure that the active ingredient listed is glyphosate. Wait - the good news isn't over yet. A pre-emergent herbicide can be combined with the glyphosate mixture. Pre-emergent herbicides are chemicals that form a barrier on the top layer of soil and prevent seeds from germinating. The product that would be applied now will suppress germination of warm season weeds, such as crabgrass, purslane or spurge. This is a great time saving practice that will allow the home gardener to 'kill two weeds with one spray' if you will. Some pre-emergents are sold as a granular mix. For this application a liquid formulation would need to be used. Contact your nursery professional or the OSU Master Gardeners for specific recommendations for your lawn. 405-713-1125 As with the use of any pesticide product it is imperative to read and follow the label. Labels are produced to protect the user and provide the highest effectiveness of the product. They are not there for decoration - use them! These methods will provide excellent knock-down of those pesky green patches in the yard and should deliver some control of weeds yet to germinate this spring as the soil begins to warm. 1/21/08 Date: 1/14/08
Copyright/Privacy
Copyright 1995-2012. High Plains Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Any republishing of these pages, including electronic reproduction of the editorial archives or classified advertising, is strictly prohibited. If you have questions or comments you can reach us at High Plains Journal 1500 E. Wyatt Earp Blvd., P.O. Box 760, Dodge City, KS 67801 or call 1-800-452-7171. Email: webmaster@hpj.com |
|
